First-Time Applicants | Out-of-State Certified RVTs | Application Instructions | Fees | Checking Status

FIRST-TIME APPLICANTS – for Examination and/or Certificate

STEP #1 IS TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT THE ONLINE APPLICATION THROUGH THE LBVM APPLICATION PORTAL. All supplemental documentation can be submitted through the portal AFTER the application is initially submitted. The LBVM cannot guarantee that documents submitted PRIOR to the submission of the online application can be accepted and/or tracked.

If this is your first time applying for certification and/or if you need to take the VTNE exam, you must submit the LBVM application along with the following documents through the LBVM Application Portal.

• • Photograph – A recent head & shoulders photograph (passport style).
  • Diploma/Transcript OR Certificate of Anticipated Graduation – A copy of your official Diploma or Transcript OR Certificate of Anticipated Graduation (download here). A final transcript or copy of your diploma must be submitted after you complete your program. * In order to qualify for a RVT certificate with the LBVM, one must have successfully completed (1) a program in veterinary technology which is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association OR (2) a board-approved program in veterinary technology at an accredited institution of higher education and have two years actual experience working in a veterinary practice under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
  • Declarations – Additional documentation may be required related to any “yes” responses in the declaration section of the application.

Submitting the completed application, supplemental documents and applicable fees above through the LBVM Application Portal will allow you to register to take the VTNE. Once you have completed the LBVM application, you will need to apply online with AAVSB directly at www.aavsb.org and pay the appropriate testing fees for the VTNE exam. Dates for the VTNE are set by the American Association of Veterinary State Boards (AAVSB). Please review the deadlines posted on at www.lsbvm.org/deadlines under the “VTNE” section.

Other documents that must be submitted directly to the LBVM after you have submitted your application and paid your fees above will include:

• • Official Transcripts – Official transcripts must be sent directly from your school to the LBVM office once you complete your veterinary technology program, even if you uploaded a copy into the LBVM Applicant Portal.
  • VTNE Exam Score – Once you take the VTNE, you must submit a request directly to AAVSB to have your score(s) sent to the LBVM from AAVSB. To transfer passing scores for the VTNE exam taken outside of Louisiana, you must contact AAVSB. Dates for the VTNE can be found at www.lsbvm.org/deadlines. Scores older than three years would require an applicant to retake the VTNE. However, for applications submitted ON or AFTER October 20, 2022, the requirement for retaking the VTNE may be waived should the applicant meet very specific waiver requirements. Waiver of this requirement is not guaranteed. Decisions made regarding a possible waiver are NOT immediate and can potentially take a couple of months, given that the Board only meets every other month (see Board meeting dates here). Please email the LBVM Executive Director at director@lsbvm.org if you have any questions regarding the possible waiver of the VTNE retake requirement. You can request a waiver of the VTNE Retake requirement while completing the online application through the LBVM Application Portal.

    Click Here to Download Rules & Required Document for Waiver of VTNE Retake Licensure Requirement

Other requirements for an RVT certificate include:

• • LA State Board Jurisprudence Examination – All RVT applicants must successfully pass the jurisprudence exam prior to an RVT certificate being issued. Click here for more details.

Considerations with respect to criminal conviction(s) of an applicant – Statute §1518 of the LA Veterinary Practice Act establishes that the Board shall have the power to examine and determine the qualifications and fitness of applicants for a license to practice veterinary medicine in the state of Louisiana. In so doing, criminal convictions of an applicant may be used for a basis for denial. In accordance with LA R.S. 37:2950, if the conviction directly relates to the practice of veterinary medicine, the Board shall consider all of the following: a) the nature and seriousness of the offense; b) the nature of the specific duties and responsibilities for which the license, permit, or certificate is required; c) the amount of time that has passed since the conviction; d) facts relevant to the circumstances of the offense, including any aggravating or mitigating circumstances or social conditions surrounding the commission of the offense; and e) evidence of rehabilitation or treatment undertaken by the person since the conviction. In accordance with LA R.S. 37:33, an applicant – or a potential applicant – who has a criminal conviction can apply for a statement from the Board for disqualifying status at any time. This request could be made even prior to applying to a veterinary program or veterinary technology program or before applying for the Board’s CAET training course.

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OUT-OF-STATE CERTIFIED RVTs

• • Photograph – A recent head & shoulders photograph (passport style).
  • Diploma/Transcript – A copy of all your official Diploma/Transcript from a program in veterinary technology which is accredited by the AVMA must be uploaded into the LVBM Application Portal; however, if you upload a transcript, an official transcript must also be submitted to the LBVM directly from your school. Therefore, uploading a copy of your diploma can help speed up your certification process. * In order to qualify for an RVT certificate with the LBVM, one must have successfully completed (1) a program in veterinary technology which is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association OR (2) a board-approved program in veterinary technology at an accredited institution of higher education and have two years actual experience working in a veterinary practice under the direct supervision of a licensed veterinarian.
  • Proof of Out of State Licenses/Certificates Currently or Previously Held – The LBVM’s Certificate of Valid Licensure form can be downloaded here to be completed and submitted to the LBVM by the certification agency. In lieu of the LBVM’s Certificate of Valid Licensure, a letter from the state board(s) with which you are/were licensed indicating good standing and/or any disciplinary action that may have been taken against your license. Proof of licensure must be submitted for every state in which you currently or previously have held an RVT certificate. A copy of one’s certificate is not acceptable.
  • Declarations – Additional documentation may be required related to any “yes” responses in the declaration section of the application.

Other documents that must be submitted directly to the LBVM after you have submitted your application and paid your fees above will include:

• • Official Transcripts – If you uploaded a copy of your final transcripts into the LBVM Applicant Portal, then you must have your official transcripts sent directly from your school to the LBVM. (If you uploaded a copy of your diploma, then your official transcripts are not required.)
  • VTNE Exam Score – You must submit a request directly to AAVSB to have your score(s) sent to the LBVM from AAVSB. To transfer passing scores for the VTNE taken outside of Louisiana, you must contact AAVSB. Dates for the VTNE can be found at www.lsbvm.org/deadlines. Scores older than three years would require an applicant to retake the VTNE. However, for applications submitted ON or AFTER October 20, 2022, the requirement for retaking the VTNE may be waived should the applicant meet very specific waiver requirements. Waiver of this requirement is not guaranteed. Decisions made regarding a possible waiver are NOT immediate and can potentially take a couple of months, given that the Board only meets every other month (see Board meeting dates here). Please email the LBVM Executive Director at director@lsbvm.org if you have any questions regarding the possible waiver of the VTNE retake requirement. You can request a waiver of the VTNE retake requirement while completing the online application through the LBVM Application Portal.

    Click Here to Download Rules & Required Document for Waiver of VTNE Retake Licensure Requirement

Other requirements for an RVT certificate include:

• • Taking and passing the LA State Board Jurisprudence Examination (click here for more details)

Considerations with respect to criminal conviction(s) of an applicant – Statute §1518 of the LA Veterinary Practice Act establishes that the Board shall have the power to examine and determine the qualifications and fitness of applicants for a license to practice veterinary medicine in the state of Louisiana. In so doing, criminal convictions of an applicant may be used for a basis for denial. In accordance with LA R.S. 37:2950, if the conviction directly relates to the practice of veterinary medicine, the Board shall consider all of the following: a) the nature and seriousness of the offense; b) the nature of the specific duties and responsibilities for which the license, permit, or certificate is required; c) the amount of time that has passed since the conviction; d) facts relevant to the circumstances of the offense, including any aggravating or mitigating circumstances or social conditions surrounding the commission of the offense; and e) evidence of rehabilitation or treatment undertaken by the person since the conviction. In accordance with LA R.S. 37:33, an applicant – or a potential applicant – who has a criminal conviction can apply for a statement from the Board for disqualifying status at any time. This request could be made even prior to applying to a veterinary program or veterinary technology program or before applying for the Board’s CAET training course.

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICATION PORTAL

LBVM Application Portal

How to Log Into Application Portal – Go to the LBVM Application Portal. If you have never logged in before, you will need to create your account by clicking on “New user? Apply now” and activate your email address. This email address will be your primary means of communication and used to log into your application in the LBVM Application Portal. Once activated, you will receive an email with a temporary password to use for your initial login attempt. Once you log in with the temporary password, you must create three security questions then you will be able to reset your password.

Starting and Completing a New Application –  Once logged into the LBVM Application Portal, on the welcome page you will click the “Start New Application” button. You will then be prompted to select the application type you want to complete. Scroll down and select the “Veterinary Technician” application type, then select whether you are “Certified in Another State” or a “Student/New Graduate”. (You should select the “Student/New Graduate” option if you need to submit the application in order to register with AAVSB to take the VTNE Exam.) The application instructions you are brought to will be specific to whichever applicant type you select. Carefully read through the application instructions page and click “Save & Continue”. Once you start an application, you will be able to stop along any of the steps, then come back to resume at that place in the application at a later date. Follow the prompts and instructions for each section of the application, clicking “Save & Continue” to move to the next sections.

• • Be sure to accurately enter all required information in the application sections, especially all contact information for you, your employer(s) and your references.
  • In the Education section of the application, be sure to select “Veterinary Technology” as the Level Attained.
  • If you answer “yes” to any declaration questions, you will have to enter an explanation and upload any documentation you may have to support your explanation.
  • Read the Certifying Statement and click the checkbox to agree to all conditions of application.

Uploading Supporting Documentation –  When you get to the Supporting Documentation section, you should upload all necessary documentation. Don’t have all documents ready yet? No worries! Upload what you have and click “Save & Continue” to move forward in the application. Once you make the payment and your application is submitted, you will have the ability to upload any remaining documents under Application Documentation (see details below).

Making Payment for Application –  When you get to the Applicant Fee Payment section of the application, you can pay by credit card using Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club.

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APPLICATION FEES – RVT CERTIFICATION – The application fees for RVT certification are as follows:

• • INITIAL APPLICATION FEE (One-time Fee): $25
  • ORIGINAL CERTIFICATION FEE: $30
  • SCORE TRANSFER FEE: $10 (only paid if VTNE score is to be transferred from another state)
  • STATE BOARD EXAM FEE: $40 (only for applications submitted ON or AFTER October 20 2022. An additional testing fee of $55 must be paid to the third-party testing vendor if the online exam option is selected.)
    
    Total Fees: $95 or $105 (if score transfer fee is included)

These fees are paid when the online application is completed. Instructions for submitting payment can be found below under the “Applicant Fee Payment” section of the application.

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CHECKING YOUR APPLICATION STATUS
Once your application is submitted you will receive a confirmation email with more details. You can continue to check the status of your application by logging into the LBVM Application Portal then on the Welcome page, click the “Review” button next to your application. (When contacting the LBVM Office regarding your application, please use your application number given in the Welcome page.) You will notice under your application details that your application status may initially be listed as “Submitted” or “Pending Payment” and you will see several items listed under Application Updates related to any required supplemental documentation/information.

NOTE – If any documentation is listed as “Waiting for Upload”, you can finish uploading them at this time in the Application Documentation section.

Your application status will remain as “Submitted” until our office can start reviewing your application material. You are urged to frequently log into the LBVM Applicant Portal to review these application updates from the Board. Your application statuses will update as follows:

• • Submitted – Your application has been initially submitted. Please note that your Application Documentation section may not be completely accurate until we start reviewing your material and your status is updated to “Pending Requirements”
  • Pending Requirements – Our office has started reviewing your material and updating the Application Documentation section with all missing supplemental documentation and/or information. Frequently check your Application Updates for more details as material is received.
  • Pending Payment – All supplemental documentation/information has been received, but final payment of invoice(s) is still needed. Go to “Invoices & Receipts” to make payment.
  • Under Review – Your application has been completed and all necessary supplemental documents and payment(s) have been received. Your application is under final review by the Board.
  • Approved – Your application has been approved and your license has been issued. Log into the License Portal to download your new LA license.
  • Denied – Your application was unfortunately denied by the Board.

You may be contacted via email as we process through your application; however, application updates will be posted in real-time in the Application Documentation section as our office receives more details and/or more of your supporting documentation/information. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding your application for RVT certification with the LBVM, but you are strongly encouraged to frequently log into the LBVM Application Portal to check your application status for updates.

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